When we first get started in our virtual hustle, there’s an excitement surrounding the new journey that drives us forward. However, there will be setbacks along the way. Maybe you’re struggling to gain new clients, increase your rates, or grow the business further. While patience is a virtue with any business model, especially in the beginning, there are a few things we can do to regain momentum and steer our ship back on course.
Here are 5 tips to reignite your online business when you’re stuck in a rut.
- Ask for feedback
We often delay this step out of fear. But how can we know if something is going right or wrong if we don’t collect straightforward, honest feedback? Have an open mind and ask your clients, peers, mentors, and followers about your services. You can conduct a mini survey that remains anonymous, encourage clients to leave reviews, or simply approach them directly. Remember, don’t take this feedback personally. Use it as an opportunity to grow, as you may find the answer as to why your business is stagnating.
- Focus small
When first becoming an online boss, we often feel stuck because we’re too focused on the bigger picture. While it’s important to have a long-term goal to work toward, scrutinizing the finish line can often derail us away from the smaller steps we need to take today. It’s often these little steps that add up to visible progress upon later evaluation. You can utilize different monetization strategies, put in more time to increase your audience’s engagement, or find new ways to leverage social media to grow your following. At the end of the day, the most important aspect of any business is the quality product or service you offer. Keep your focus on making sure you’re delivering your very best and the rest will eventually follow.
- Focus on what’s going right
It’s possible to be so tunnel-vision stuck on expanding your business that you forget how far you’ve come! Take some time to remember how you got to where you are now and focus on what is going well. If you have any regular clients, even just a few, then that’s something of value to reflect on. If your social media following is growing, even if at a slow rate, that’s still growth. If you’re becoming a better service provider, and have come a long way from your first virtual call, then that’s something to be proud of. Rather than dwelling on the weaknesses of your business in its current state, double-down on your strengths and use that to push forward.
- Collaborate
Many of us are solopreneurs and we chose this route so that we have the capacity to make our own decisions and control the trajectory of our career path. But that doesn’t mean you have to completely operate on your own— working with others and taking on collaborative projects with like-minded people can be the fuel you need to snap out of the slump. There’s magic that occurs when you can feed off of someone else’s ideas and vice versa. Network within your circle and see if there’s an opportunity to work on a mutually beneficial project with a peer. Or maybe you’re taking on too much of the load right now and need to outsource the workload. Either way, finding great people to work with can energize you and your business through the roughest times.
- Remember Why You Started
You didn’t just do this on a whim! Each of us has a reason as to why we chose the path we’re on and a purpose we’re trying to fulfill. Take some time to write down why you first decided to pursue this journey. As long as you remember your “why,” you’ll always be able to motivate yourself to keep grinding.
If you have any other strategies for our fellow hustlers to get out of a rut, we’d love to hear from you! Share your thoughts with us on Twitter, Instagram, or Facebook.
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